Thailand extends activist's jail term to more than 34 years

BANGKOK: A Thai court sentenced a leader of 2020 protests to an additional two years in jail on Friday (Oct 30), a rights group said, bringing his total term to more than 34 years.

Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa was convicted on a fresh count of lese majeste, the strict law that shields the Thai royal family from criticism but which critics say is used to muzzle dissent.

Arnon rose to prominence in youth-led protests that saw tens of thousands of people take to the streets in 2020, calling for reform of the military-drafted constitution and the monarchy.

The 42-year-old has been jailed since 2023 on multiple royal insult convictions linked to the protests and his social media posts.

Arnon and four others were sentenced to two years and eight months under lese majeste, campaign group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said in a Facebook post.

Krisadang Nutcharut, a lawyer representing Arnon, confirmed the ruling to AFP, saying the charges stem from a 2020 protest in front of the Siam Commercial Bank headquarters.

Three of the five sentenced on Friday were already serving separate royal insult sentences, Krisadang said, adding that Arnon's total was now more than 34 years.  

"It is now clear that the law has become a political tool used against opponents," he told AFP.

Arnon was calling for increased transparency over a transfer of shares in Siam Commercial Bank, Thailand's oldest bank, from the Crown Property Bureau, Krisadang said.

King Vajiralongkorn is the largest shareholder in SCBx, the bank's parent company, with a 23.6 per cent share, SCBx says on its website.